Texas: A Shopping Paradise (Houston, Dallas: for sale, sales tax, safety)

[dallasboi]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

That’s not what this thread is about. You’re only making it a rivalry thread because you’re insecure that Dallas doesn’t best Houston in this area. If I was actually to argue this, I would use actual data to destroy your case. That’s not what we’re discussing here.

No.....You are the one who CLAIMED that Houston somehow edged Dallas out in this category.


I know....I was confused too when you said it.

It’s really one thing. The absence of some of the biggest name stores in Dallas. Dallas lacks certain stores that are found in most luxury shopping destination including Houston. Particularly Prada, Rolex, Breitling, Moncler, Van Cleef and Choppard. There’s others but those are particularly big deals not to have. In fact, for Moncler, Dallas doesn’t even have a certified retailer for. So this is the first reason. And the second is for the retailers that do exist, the Houston counterpart is generally larger.

You announced the competition...NOT ME.

[Jasonsim]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

While I respect Jasonism’s list, it includes some budget friendly stores, furniture, grocers and local boutiques. Later, I’m going to condense the list to only stand alone designer brand stores to see what the two cities have to offer.

The list was always meant as a compilation of the great retail Texas has to offer. It includes upscale up-and-coming brands (Scotch & Soda, Golden Goose, Frame, The Webster, etc.) as well as the well established luxury brands (Cartier, Goyard, Versace, etc.). Furniture stores were a later addition because they should be considered as upscale when in Restoration Hardware, CB2, Jonathan Adler, etc.

Also ParaguaneroSwag if you decide to adjust my list please invest time into the smaller brands because you mentioned a few you thought were Dallas natives, but actually are from out of state with only a few boutiques. For example The Conservatory is from New York City, but started by Brian Bolke so it has Dallas roots as per the opening of a pari of Conservatory boutiques in HP Village. Also upscale clothier Baldwin (BLDwN) was from Kansas City, with stores including NYC, LA, Miami, & Dallas + more... Unfortunately they just announced bankruptcy this week so irrelevant now but they were not a local store.

As per the "grocers", Eataly listed as coming soon to Dallas is a great achievement for local and state level retail. It provides an upscale offering of imported Italian goods and truly an upscale retail experience from those I have visited before. Therefore I added it as the sole grocer to the list.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by Jasonsim

The list was always meant as a compilation of the great retail Texas has to offer. It includes upscale up-and-coming brands (Scotch & Soda, Golden Goose, Frame, The Webster, etc.) as well as the well established luxury brands (Cartier, Goyard, Versace, etc.). Furniture stores were a later addition because they should be considered as upscale when in Restoration Hardware, CB2, Jonathan Adler, etc.

Also ParaguaneroSwag if you decide to adjust my list please invest time into the smaller brands because you mentioned a few you thought were Dallas natives, but actually are from out of state with only a few boutiques. For example The Conservatory is from New York City, but started by Brian Bolke so it has Dallas roots as per the opening of a pari of Conservatory boutiques in HP Village. Also upscale clothier Baldwin (BLDwN) was from Kansas City, with stores including NYC, LA, Miami, & Dallas + more... Unfortunately they just announced bankruptcy this week so irrelevant now but they were not a local store.

As per the "grocers", Eataly listed as coming soon to Dallas is a great achievement for local and state level retail. It provides an upscale offering of imported Italian goods and truly an upscale retail experience from those I have visited before. Therefore I added it as the sole grocer to the list.

I'm looking into them. That's what's taking me longer to make it, I have to individually look into each smaller brand I don't know a lot about. From what I'm seeing now, Hadleigh's would easily stay out of the locals. And Johnny Dang & Co easily gets added.

And It's not a list adjustment. It's a separate list. I respect your list as it is, obviously the bigger the criteria, the harder it would be to keep it 100% accurate. My stricter criteria makes it easier to be accurate and updated.

I spent a good bit of time in Italy for a while so I'm excited for Eataly's Texas debut. I'm sure it'll be better than the Italian markets already in Texas. But its not going on the list because its a separate industry. Just like Uniqlo is a great acheivement for Texas retail with them anouncing their first location, but they're also separate.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by dallasboi

No.....You are the one who CLAIMED that Houston somehow edged Dallas out in this category.


I know....I was confused too when you said it.



You announced the competition...NOT ME.

No, I did not. I said Houston and Dallas have been constantly investing into luxury retail since the 1900s, each adding new to Texas aspects while doing so. Highland Park's orginal development did. Northpark Mall did, the Galleria did. HPV's expansions did, and River Oaks District when opened it added a new to Texas shopping experience. No where else in Texas do stores lined up separately imaged to its own architecture other than ROD. And their planned expansion will as well.

The post had nothing to do about either being better, it had to do with the future of Texas retail in general after so many milestones. My reasoning for Houston having an edge has reasoning. Not "it blows Dallas out the water" trolling. Anyone who knows about this knows they're neck and neck. I have no problem with you disagreeing. But if you do, give reasoning instead of trolling.

[RJ312]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

If you take a close look at it, it’s mainly the middle end of retail taking a hit. Budget friendly retail has fairly maintained well and the upper luxurious has been growing not only in Houston and Dallas but in general. It’s the middle end that takes the biggest hit.

Even though Neiman Marcus has been struggling, it’s partly due to them not keeping up with the times. People are leaving the department store for the boutiques themselves.

Stating that the middle end of retail is taking a hit is a generally fair assessment. I could nitpick with it, but it's not worth doing.

Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, and Dollar General have all been doing well since the 2008 downturn. Throughout the 2010s, these retail companies did well despite the economy recovery. The recovery was not evenly dispersed. The middle class continues to suffer and many of its members have slid into the lower class.

I'll agree that Neiman did not keep up with the times. That was the primary problem. Neiman's core customer base has disposable income.

A lot of the boutiques are about to get hit due to employment losses and stock market losses.

[Bamaman1]

I wonder how long that list of high line retail stores is going to be after coronavirus 19? Neiman Marcus is in bankruptcy along with J.C. Penny.

With the big box department stores in shopping centers unable to open and sell their Summer merchandise, 2020 is going to be a great season to purchase Summer clothes. Expect 66% off to be the start of prices whenever all the malls reopen.

[RJ312]

Originally Posted by Bamaman1

With the big box department stores in shopping centers unable to open and sell their Summer merchandise, 2020 is going to be a great season to purchase Summer clothes. Expect 66% off to be the start of prices whenever all the malls reopen.

There's ~20% unemployment. Those ~20% got a substantial pay cut. The real pay cuts are coming until August 1, when the Republicans take away the $600/week lifeline that so many people need. On August 1, every unemployed American, now a substantial portion of the population, gets an over 50% pay cut. 66% off summer clothes doesn't matter when you receive a massive pay cut. Additionally, when the pay cut comes, most people are not going to be thinking about recreation and occasions to buy summer clothes.

[tcualum]

A lot of those who do have disposable income and secure jobs still aren't interested in buying clothes right now because they aren't going anywhere. Normally, there are some events, vacations, etc. happening in the spring such as prom, weddings, graduation, etc. that people spend big on clothes for that aren't happening. I don't see a need to buy any clothes unless my older son outgrows his clothing this summer and I usually buy his clothes at places like Old Navy. A 13-year old who is growing like a weed doesn't need designer clothing that he'll juts outgrow in a few months.

If people are buying big-ticket items right now, they're usually for the home. I have a friend putting in a pool instead of taking some big family vacations and I just bought furniture and a treadmill for my bedroom since we're planning to shelter in place this summer instead of going on trips for sleepaway camp. I'm not going to buy a treadmill from Neimans.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by tcualum

A lot of those who do have disposable income and secure jobs still aren't interested in buying clothes right now because they aren't going anywhere. Normally, there are some events, vacations, etc. happening in the spring such as prom, weddings, graduation, etc. that people spend big on clothes for that aren't happening. I don't see a need to buy any clothes unless my older son outgrows his clothing this summer and I usually buy his clothes at places like Old Navy. A 13-year old who is growing like a weed doesn't need designer clothing that he'll juts outgrow in a few months.

If people are buying big-ticket items right now, they're usually for the home. I have a friend putting in a pool instead of taking some big family vacations and I just bought furniture and a treadmill for my bedroom since we're planning to shelter in place this summer instead of going on trips for sleepaway camp. I'm not going to buy a treadmill from Neimans.

When Apple Watches first came out, there was fear that the luxury watch industry (Rolex, Breitling, Graff, TAG etc) would take a hit. Instead, what happened is that field continued to grow. Lower end watches like Casio, though, did take a dip. Moral of the story is people with money will continue to spend as they please.

[tcualum]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

When Apple Watches first came out, there was fear that the luxury watch industry (Rolex, Breitling, Graff, TAG etc) would take a hit. Instead, what happened is that field continued to grow. Lower end watches like Casio, though, did take a dip. Moral of the story is people with money will continue to spend as they please.

All of my friends who are well off are spending money on their homes right now instead of clothes since they are unable to take their summer vacations. One is putting in a pool, one is upgrading their patio furniture, and another is decorating her lakehouse. I'm not sure what the rest are doing but I've heard them chatting about what's the point in buying the latest fashions when there's nowhere to wear them. A friend of mine owns a local fashion branding and small clothing manufacturing business. She's pivoted to making safety gear and face masks that coordinate with businesses' uniforms since most of her regular boutique design house orders aren't coming in.